Toyotas Auris Points at Next Toyota

For its display at the Paris Motor Show, Toyota presented a concept car called the Auris. Rather than being a dynamic concept vehicle to showcase new technology or powertrain technologies, as other manufacturers have done, the Auris is strictly a styling exercise meant to combine a spacious interior without sacrificing exterior design. The new concept is also an extension of Toyotas design language, Vibrant Clarity, which was heavily emphasized with the new Yaris subcompact.

A derivative for the Latin word for Gold (aurum), the Auris is a shimmering gold C-Segment vehicle that hints at what the next Corolla hatchback might look like. Overall, it has a strong resemblance to the B-Segment Yaris, sharing a similar styling theme. The Auris has the same, short nose with upright Toyota logo and grille, plus vertical crease lines that run up the bumpers and through the hood. The round-shaped, tall body yields a similar window shape, while the wheel arches have been shaved with flat faces. Mind you, the flat-faced tail end is something new.

Wahei Hirai, Toyota Global Design Managing Officer explains: "The Auris space concept is tall and spacious. The high waistline, short overhangs and forward balance of the cabin architecture ensure it retains a sense of dynamism and agility, a quality we call perfect imbalance." We think that its a pretty good looking compact.

The interior, on the other hand is quite a departure from traditional Toyota design. Rather than the loop theme Toyota has used for other vehicles, the focus on the Auris is around a new center console design. The console itself has a flowing shape which allows the controls and the shifter to be angled in a more ergonomic way, while making for extra space underneath the console for small items (such as a purse). With buttons, switches, controls, and stitching accented in gold, it definitely brings funky style without losing any functionality. Meanwhile, the Auris plastic surfaces have adopted a new cross-hatch pattern, which is quite different.

Because creating space is one of the primary elements of the concepts purpose, its worth examining some of the areas that Toyota has concentrated on. As with most modern vehicles in this class, the front seats are quite spacious, but all too often in the compact segment rear passengers are not only physically cramped but also by a general atmosphere of claustrophobia. Toyota has tried to remedy the situation by using a full-length glass panoramic roof in order to make the car feel airy, and when combined with the tall body height the Auris should be one of the most open compact cars on the market; other than

convertibles. Legroom and rear passenger comfort are gained through a completely flat rear floor, as well as a sliding and reclining rear seat.

The Auris has a couple of neat little details that unfortunately will not evolve out of the concept car stage. Such features include 19-inch wheels, "freeform" geometric detail headlamps, colored calipers, and flush, integrated tailpipes. Nevertheless, we can hope that Toyota will add a few of these clever little touches for inspiration on future production vehicles.